Treaty 8 First Nations Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi. By Jeremy Appel (ANNews) – The federal government has appointed Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi to sit on the Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC) of the Major Projects Office. An outspoken critic of Bill C-5, which created an office to advance projects deemed to be in Canada’s national interest, Mercredi is one of 11 First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders announced as committee appointees on Sept. 10. According to a Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta news release published a week after his appointment, Mercredi intends to advocate for “advancing the protection of Treaty rights, the autonomy of Treaty First Nations, the highest standards of environmental stewardship, and equitable economic benefits for our Peoples.” The release emphasizes that “not every Nation supports this appointment or the IAC itself, and this diversity of views must be respected,” adding that the existence of the IAC “does not create consensus and does not bind any Nation to a collective position,” nor does it “replace Nation-to-Nation engagement or Canada’s constitutional Duty to Consult and Accommodate.” “My participation will be guided directly by the mandate of the Treaty 8 Chiefs,” said Mercredi. “I will hold Canada accountable to its constitutional obligations, to the spirit and intent of Treaty, and to the standards our People expect for the protection of our lands and the well-being of future generations.” First Nations leaders, including the Assembly of First Nations and Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta, which withdrew from the assembly in 2022, widely criticized Bill C-5 for overriding Treaty rights and being drafted without input from First Nations. “Instead of a nation-to-nation approach, Canada opted for speed and secrecy, and inclusion by marginalizing our nations,” Grand Chief Mercredi told a June 18 meeting of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. He specifically called on the government to amend the legislation to include explicit recognition of Treaty and inherent rights, guarantee revenue sharing from major projects, reference the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and free, prior and informed consent, and create a joint decision-making process with First Nations. A series of proposed amendments from NDP Leah Gazan that would include explicit reference to UNDRIP throughout the legislation’s text were voted down at the committee meeting. Mercredi’s appointment came a day after Treaty 8 First Nations chiefs met with Minister of Indigenous Services Canada Mandy Gull-Masty in Edmonton. According to a Facebook post from Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta, the chiefs discussed resource revenue sharing, Treaty rights to education and health care, the impact of Indigenous Services Canada budget cuts, child and family services and policy reforms. “These conversations are vital to ensuring our Treaty rights are respected and that our communities’ needs are addressed,” the post read. In a statement to Alberta Native News, Privy Council Office spokesperson Pierre Cuguen said that the appointees “were selected for their expertise in areas such as major projects, economic development, Indigenous rights, and regulatory processes.” “They bring deep expertise and experience, demonstrated leadership, and will ensure broad regional representation and a wide range of diverse perspectives,” said Cuguen. Members “will help guide” the office’s work, he added, “to ensure that major projects create opportunities for equity ownership and responsible resource management through meaningful participation with Indigenous Peoples.”
Treaty 8 FN grand chief appointed to federal advisory council
